ATTENDED FORUM—From left Nita Lowey, Ted Kaufman, Joseph Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, Henry Waxman, Lindsey Graham,
Howard Berman and Susan Davis
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WASHINGTON, D.C (Press Release)– Congresswoman Susan Davis of San Diego recently attended the 2009 Saban Forum in Israel which brought together leading policymakers from America and Israel to discuss U.S.-Israel relations and the critical issues facing the Middle East.
The U.S delegation also included former President Bill Clinton, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Democratic Senator Ted Kaufman of Delaware, and Democratic Reps. Nita Lowey of New York and fellow Democratic Congress members from California Howard Berman, Henry Waxman, and Jane Harman.
The Israeli participants were Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Kadima leader Tzipi Livni, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Yuval Diskin and Director of Military Intelligence General Amos Yadlin.
“This was an incredible opportunity to engage in a dialogue on issues that are critical to the national security of both the United States and Israel,” said Davis, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. “It is these dialogues that will help lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The issues discussed ranged from the Iranian threat to Syria to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Part of the three-day conference was a trip to Ramallah on the West Bank for a meeting with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The delegation witnessed the progress being made on the economic and infrastructure developments and improved security in Ramallah.
The conference was sponsored by the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Founded in 2004, the center works to promote policy dialogue between Israel and the U.S.
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Preceding provided by Congresswoman Susan Davis